


The Setting Suns

by MissesNefarious



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Dad Lando, Denial of Feelings, Dirty Thoughts, Domestic Fluff, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Mando just wants to be a good father, Mutual Pining, Reader-Insert, Romance, Secret Crush, Sexual Tension, Shameless Smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-02
Updated: 2021-03-03
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:00:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29163858
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissesNefarious/pseuds/MissesNefarious
Summary: You were working at the cantina on Nevarro when the Mandalorian asked for your help. You never expected to get close with the Mandalorian, but you quickly find yourself aching for him at all times. Unbeknownst to you, the Mandalorian feels that same ache too. Every time you think that he feels the same way, something in the universe manages to keep you apart. When will enough finally be enough?This work contains aspects and characters from both seasons 1 and 2 of The Mandalorian, but does not exactly follow the storyline. It is simply about traveling the galaxy with Mando and Grogu while he continues his work as a bounty hunter.(This work can also be found on Wattpad at the account @KellySmith1287)
Relationships: Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You, The Mandalorian/Reader, The Mandalorian/You
Comments: 17
Kudos: 59





	1. Chapter 1

“(Y/n)! How’s my favorite server?”

The familiar voice of Greef Karga echoed off the cantina walls, making you roll your eyes and step out from behind the bar. You walked up to the familiar booth and looked down at the man sporting the sweetest smile on the planet.

“Let me guess… spotchka?” You asked, knowing his usual order.

He huffed out a laugh and pulled out some credits, “You know me so well, sweetheart. Bring two cups this time.”

You raised a questioning eyebrow, but leaned over the bar and grabbed the bottle of spotchka and two cups. “You have friends?” You teased as you sat the drink on the table. 

Karga gave a fake hurt look. “Well aren’t you a jokester? And here I thought we were friends.”

You were about to make a snarky remark before the cantina fell silent. Silence was something that was unknown to this place. Your eyes scanned the room and paused at the sight of shiny, Beskar armor. The sun peaking through made you squint in order to see the figure better. Everyone seemed to be watching the Mandalorian’s every step, but you were more intrigued by the little, green creature in the floating pod beside him.

“Mando! Good to see you buddy!” Karga’s voice boomed by your ear as he stood to greet the Mandalorian. You glared at him and dramatically rubbed at your ear.

The Mandalorian shook hands with Karga and took a seat at the booth across from him. You had heard the story from Karga of what the Mandalorian had done to save the kid from Moff Gideon and the Empire. The day he told you the story, you had already held respect for the man who was now sitting two feet away from you.

Karga seemed to remember you were there and introduced you, “The beautiful lady here is (y/f/n) (y/l/n). She’s not just a pretty sight, though. This woman can hold her own against anyone, even you.”

You glared down at Karga as the Mandalorian tilted his helmet in curiosity. Your cheeks burned as you quickly grabbed the extra cup Karga requested and walked back behind the bar.

“Hey! What are you taking the cup for?” Karga asked.

You let out an annoyed huff and propped your forearms on the bar, “Because you didn’t tell me your company was a Mandalorian. They don’t take their helmets off for anyone and you are a bigger dumbass than I thought if you think you’re special enough to see his face.” Karga’s mouth dropped open in shock and you heard a modulated laugh from under the helmet. You glanced at the Mandalorian before making your way to a table on the other side of the cantina. 

You didn’t see it, but Mando’s eyes never left you. He could hear Karga was speaking, but the words never registered. Upon first glance, he thought you would be scared of him like everyone else. He saw that sweet smile on your face and thought, “why is a girl like that talking to someone like Karga?” Oh boy, was he wrong.

“Mando?.. Mando, are you even listening?” Karga asked, breaking Mando out of his trance.

Mando didn’t even ask about what he had said, only asking, “What do you have for me?” Karga shocked his head in disappointment, but presented the pucks nonetheless. He began to explain who the bounties were, but Mando’s focus was back on you.

You were serving a group of men and one was getting a bit too handsy for your liking. You were used to the occasional groping from customers, but this Cerean was really starting to piss you off. As you sat down a blue dwarf for one of the men, the Cerean grabbed your ass and tugged you towards him.

Mando abruptly rose to his feet and pulled out his blaster, but you were quicker than him. You pulled a vibroblade out from your thigh holster and held it to the Cerean’s neck. The cantina fell silent as everyone watched the event unfold.

You looked the Cerean dead in the eye, noticing how he gulped in terror. “Are you going to stop touching me?” You asked in a tone a mother would ask her toddler.

He furiously nodded his head ‘yes’. “Good. Now say you’re sorry,” you demanded.

“I’m s-sorry. Ple-please don’t hurt me,” the man pleaded. You gave him one last glare before sheathing your knife and turning around. The Mandalorian was staring at you with his blaster in hand, seemingly in shock.

Conversations started back up again as you moved closer to him. Karga laughed into his drink, “I told you she could hold her own, and she looks good while doing it.”

The lack of amusement showed on your face, which only made Karga laugh harder. The kid made some happy noises as he clapped his hands at you. His big eyes were gleaming with joy at what he just witnessed and he seemed very interested in you. You reached down and rubbed his floppy ear, watching as his eyes closed in relaxation.

“He likes you,” the Mandalorian stated.

Your eyes never left the kid using both hands to rub at his ears until his breathing slowed down, “I guess so. Poor thing must have been exhausted.”

Once you were sure the kid was asleep, you made you way back to the bar to clean up some dishes. Mando holstered his blaster and grabbed the pucks off the table, ignoring Karga as he followed you. You loaded the cups onto a crate and pushed them into the steam cleaner. You knew the Mandalorian was watching you, but you wanted to get as much cleaned as you could so you didn’t have to stay late tonight.

“I could use someone like you,” the Mandalorian said as he looked down at the sleeping child.

You loaded the next crate into the cleaner and wiped your hands off. You leaned on the bar in front of him and watched as he slowly rocked the pod to soothe the kid. Watching a ruthless bounty hunter care so much for his kid made your heart swell.

“And why exactly would you use someone like me? I think your reputation proves you can handle anything.”

Mando closed the pod to cancel out the noise and looked up at you, “My reputation must not say anything about my abilities to take care of a kid,” he said with a small laugh. His eyes travelled back down to the closed pod, “I can never get him to sleep that quickly. He always.. fusses. I can’t go on hunts if I can barely keep my eyes open. I’ll match whatever you make here. I just- I need.. help.”

The vulnerability in his voice made your heart break. You suddenly noticed just how tired he was, from the break in his voice to the way his shoulders slightly slumped. Looking around the cantina, you pondered if leaving another place was a good idea. However, as you locked eyes with the Cerean man, your mind was made up.

“I’ll be done here in a couple hours and then I have to get some things from my place,” you said, much to the Mandalorian’s relief.

He visibly relaxed and let out a breath that he didn’t even know he was holding, “I’ll just wait here then. No point in going back to the ship just to come back.”

You told him that was fine and that he could take the corner booth where the lighting was much darker so the kid would stay asleep. As you made your way over to Karga, you were confused at the sight of him with his cheek resting in the palm of his hand and a sad look on his face. 

When you finally came into his view, he let out a loud sigh, “No one ever just wants to sit and have a drink with me. I have so many stories to tell, but no one ever listens.”

You rolled your eyes and took the spotchka away from him. “You’re so dramatic for an old man.”

——

After 3 long hours and having to wake up a passed out drunk at the bar, you were finally able to close. Since you were leaving anyways, you decided that cleaning the place was a job for someone else. You gathered your tips and tossed your apron over the bar before walking over to the Mandalorian. The kid had slept the entire time, but you knew he had not.

He stood up and let you lead them to your place, the darkness making him cradle his blaster as you walked. The walk to your place was short on any other day, but today it seemed to take forever. Silence loomed over the two of you and the awkwardness was driving you crazy.

“Karga might not give you any jobs after you stole his favorite server away,” you joked to break the tension.

The Mandalorian didn’t seem to find it that funny, but looked down at you curiously, “Yeah, he seems to like you… a lot.”

His words made you burst into laughter and grab onto his bicep. Your touch tingled on his arm and he almost jerked away at the sensation. Once you calmed down enough, you let go of his arm and continued to walk, “He only flirts with me because he knows it irritates me. He’s a good friend, but that’s it.”

You arrived at your place and told the Mandalorian to wait outside while you grabbed your stuff. You hurried inside and threw the few pieces of clothing you owned into a pack, along with some personal essentials. Once your pack was filled, you pulled the straps over your shoulder and stood on the bed. You opened the ceiling vent and pulled out a duffle bag filled with credits, a blaster, and an assortment of knives. You double-checked to make sure you had everything you would need and left your home for the last time.

When you arrived at the Mandalorian’s ship, he told you he would be right back and disappeared into the cockpit. You took the time to analyze your surroundings. There was only one bed and you were fairly certain he wasn’t one to cuddle. After looking around a bit, you decided the floor beside some crates would be the comfiest place. You were about to lay out a blanket you brought when a hand grabbed your elbow.

Instincts kicked in and you twisted your arm around his grip to grab his forearm and threw a punch with your other arm. Before you could make contact, a hand grabbed your wrist and halted your movements.

“I don’t think punching Beskar would feel particularly good,” his modulated voice taunted. Feeling your face begin to heat up, you muttered an apology and turned back around to pick up the blanket you had dropped. You began to lay it out again when the same hand stopped you, “You’re not sleeping on the floor. You can sleep in the bed.”

You were about to argue, but the stubborn man had already picked up your bag and sat it beside the bed. A sudden shyness came over you, making you lower your gaze to your feet. You awkwardly threw the blanket on the bed and looked up at the chrome helmet.

“Thank you, but where are you going to sleep?” You asked with a curious tilt of your head.

He gave you a glance before looking towards the ladder to the cockpit. Your shoulders sagged at the realization that he would be sleeping in an uncomfortable chair while you slept in his bed.

He shook his head and grabbed your bicep, “I sleep up there most nights anyways. It’s not exactly a change for me.”

Mando was lying. He rarely slept up there, but he didn’t want you to worry. He gave your arm one last squeeze before turning around and making his way to the ladder. He was about to hoist himself up when you asked him a question.

“What should I call you? I know Karga calls you Mando, but I didn’t know if there was anything else you preferred to be called.”

Turning his head to the side, he gave a simple answer, “Mando… just Mando.”

You nodded in understanding and turned back to the bed. Before Mando could get too far up the ladder, you yelled over your shoulder, “Don’t keep your armor on the entire time you’re up there. I’ll yell when I come up and will always knock before entering.”

Without looking back, he gave a quiet, “Thank you,” and disappeared into the cockpit. You opened the pod floating by the bed and lifted up the sleeping kid. You put him into the makeshift hammock Mando made for him and changed into some sleep clothes. Once you had folded your old clothes, you turned off the light and crawled into the bed.

Traveling with a Mandalorian was the last thing you ever envisioned yourself doing. Hopping from planet to planet was nothing new for you, but this time you weren’t escaping from anything. You weren’t running away. This time, you had a choice.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been almost 3 hours and you hadn’t slept a bit. Your nerves were keeping you from resting and it was driving you crazy. Luckily, the kid finally decided to wake up and seemed to be looking around for his dad. You scooped the kid into your arms and made your way to the ladder, melting at the way he rubs his big, sleepy eyes.

“I’m coming up with the kid!” You yelled as you ascended the ladder. You knocked on the door and waited for Mando to give you the ‘okay’.

The sound of metal scraping against a surface made your ears perk up before a modulated, “all clear,” came through the wall. You pressed the button to open the door and took a seat in the co-pilot’s chair. Crossing your legs, you rested your head back on the chair and tried to stretch your neck.

Mando’s eyes were drawn to your exposed legs the second you walked in. He knows he should look away, but he can’t bring himself to do it. The softness of your skin taunts him as you sit cross-legged, showing the flesh of your thighs. His cock stirred to life in his pants, yearning for a woman he only just met. You sat the kid on your lap, covering your thighs and breaking Mando’s stare.

Mando focused back on the controls ahead of him and cleared his throat, “We’ll be landing in Cloud City in about half an hour.”

The way your face lit up at the mention of Cloud City tugged at Mando’s heart, making a small smile form on his own face. He was sure there wasn’t a sight more beautiful than the one in front of him. He could tell you were trying to hide your excitement, so he decided not to push it. Instead, asking something you were hoping to avoid a bit longer.

“So you know about my… reputation. I think I deserve to know more about you.”

The kid started to get restless, so you sat him on the ground to walk around and shifted your body to face Mando. “What would you like to know?” You asked.

He turned his head towards you, “Who are you and how did you end up on Nevarro?” You gave a nervous laugh and began telling your story.

“I guess I’ll start from the beginning. I have no idea where I was born or who my parents were. When I was five, they dropped me off on Canto Bight and I haven’t seen them since. I guess they were hoping some rich family would take me in or something, but I was picked up by some people who weren’t very… nice.”

Mando’s eyes never left your as you talked, listening intently to every word. He could see the hurt take over your facial features and wanted so badly to reach over and hold your hand. Even though you couldn’t see his face, the way Mando was looking at you with a slight downturn of his helmet made something flutter inside your stomach. You shook your head slightly and continued.

“I got out when I was seventeen and settled on Bespin. I stayed there for about seven years until I decided I needed a change of scenery. I went from planet to planet just exploring the galaxy until I found myself on Nevarro two years ago. That’s pretty much everything there is to know.” 

You nervously tugged your lip in between your teeth as you waited for the inevitable question everyone asks. Mando found himself wishing he was the one biting your lip, or maybe letting you bite his lip. Apparently, he was silent for too long because you seemed to shrink back in your seat, wondering if your vagueness made him regret his choice to bring you on.

“If you’ve been on Nevarro for two years, how come I’ve never seen you in the cantina before?”

Mando’s question shocked you. You expected him to ask about the twelve years of your life you left blank like everyone else. “Oh um, I only worked there for a year. You were a little busy during that time,” you answered with a sense of relief.

Mando nodded in understanding. There was something you weren’t telling him, but he didn’t want to push it. If anyone can understand privacy, it’s him. So far, Mando trusts you. He can’t explain why or how, but there’s something comforting about your presence.

The kid started to get fussy and grabbing at your leg, letting you know he was hungry. “C’mon baby. Let’s get some food in that belly,” you said with a smile as you picked him up and propped him on your hip. Mando let you know you would be arriving soon.

You quickly made the kid a cup of broth and let him eat on his own while you got ready. You changed into some simple, tight black pants and a long-sleeved, powder blue turtleneck. After tucking your shirt into your pants and pulling on your black combat boots, you strapped on your black utility belt and holstered your blaster along with your thigh holster for your knife.

Once you dropped out of hyperspace and landed one of the landing pads in Cloud City, Mando was right by your side. You gathered the kid in your arms and settled him in his pod. Mando opened the telescopic gate and led the two of you through the city. The orange light of the setting sun made you feel right back at home.

The scared looks of residents as they looked upon the intimidating Beskar didn’t go unnoticed and you couldn’t blame them. Mando walked like a warrior. He oozed confidence and raw power. However, you have yet to find yourself scared of him. Instead, you are more intrigued, having seen a more vulnerable side to him than anyone else.

The three of you arrived at a restaurant within the city and Mando led you to one of the booths in the back. He gently grasped your hand before you could sit down and placed a commlink in your palm. His touch lingered as he looked down at the kid and rubbed his ear with his other hand.

“I’m going to get some information about one of the bounties. It won’t take long. Stay here. If anything happens, let me know immediately,” he said softly. You scanned his helmet trying to gauge how he was feeling. There was no use, but he swore you could see right through his armor. You gave him a reassuring smile to let him know you would be okay, “Stay safe, Mando.”

He nodded and gave your hand a squeeze, walking away to seek out his informant. You settled into the booth and pulled the pod towards the end of the table. You just got done ordering some food for you and the kid when the sound of booming footsteps approached. The pounding in your heart intensified, but not out of fear. It was quite the opposite.

“You are just as beautiful as I remember, my little kibo flower.”

Tears sprang in the corners of your eyes as you stood up to hug the man who would always hold a spot in your heart: Lando Calrissian. He had given you the nickname when you first met, insisting that the sweet smelling flower was a perfect match for your sweet and caring nature. The seeds of the flower were known to restore sight and Lando always said that without you, his eyes would never be fully open. He immediately engulfed you into his arms and whispered in your ear how much he missed you.

“I missed you too, Lando. Not seeing that smile of yours every day has been a struggle.”

The laugh you had heard for years filled your ears, making your smile grow wider. Lando sat in the booth across from you while you slid back into yours. Only then did he notice the kid, reaching a finger out for him to grab.

“Who’s this little one? I really hope you didn’t make me a grandpa while you were gone?” He asked as the kid attempted to put Lando’s finger in his mouth.

While Lando wasn’t your biological dad, he took on a father figure role when you moved to Bespin. He gave you a roof to live under and plenty of food to make sure you never went hungry again. You truly owed your life to this man.

You rolled your eyes with a smile, “No, he is not mine. He is a friend of mine’s son. I’m simply babysitting.”

The waiter placed your food on the table, along with a cup of soup for the kid. Lando made sure to tell the waiter your food was his treat, ignoring the glare you were sending his way. When the waiter agreed, Lando looked back at you with a smirk, knowing you wouldn’t be able to argue. The kid wasted no time in picking up his soup and taking big gulps.

Lando smiled down at the kid before turning to you with a look of sorrow, “I’m sorry I left without telling you. The rebellion needed my help and I couldn’t refuse. I came back to tell you after the Death Star was blown up, but you were already gone. It felt like someone ripped my heart out, but I guess that’s how you felt.”

Lando was avoiding eye contact with you, afraid that all he would see is hate. He couldn’t blame you if you hated him. He hated himself for leaving you, and he held that guilt for years. When he came back to see you were gone, his heart broke in two.

Tears fell from your eyes as you reached over the table and grabbed Lando’s hand, “Your leaving had nothing to do with my decision. Yeah, I was angry and confused at first. When I finally found out where you were, I knew I couldn’t be mad. I left because it was just something I needed to do. I wanted to figure out where I belonged in this galaxy.”

Lando understood what you were saying and rubbed his thumb across your knuckle. He was about to say something when the guards started yelling for someone to back up. The both of you turned towards the commotion and saw blasters pointed directly and a certain Mandalorian. The guards continued to scream at Mando as he stood there silently, a hand hovering over his own blaster.

You reacted quicker than you could think, your heart racing as you stood in between Mando and the blasters. Lando looked on curiously, but you were too worried about making sure Mando didn’t get himself shot to notice.

You reached a hand back to grab Mando’s unarmored side, holding your other hand up to the guards, “He’s a friend. There’s no need to shoot.” Mando didn’t like that you put yourself in front of him. He was armored, but you weren’t. He tried to grab your hand on his waist, but you only gripped tighter, silently telling him you knew what you were doing.

One of the guards shook his head and yelled, “He’s a bounty hunter, just like the last one.”

You raised a challenging brow, “He is nothing like that man. If you don’t want to become his next bounty, I suggest you lower your blasters.”

The guards refused to stand down, making Mando worry for you. He silently stepped closer so your back was against his chest and placed his hand on your hip. If the guards started firing, he wanted to make sure he could turn the both of you around and use himself to shield you.

You took a sharp intake of breath at his touch. The firm grip sent tingles down your body, shooting between your thighs. Your mind went cloudy the second cold beskar pressed against your back, wondering what it would feel like against your bare skin.

“Okay, boys. Let’s lower our weapons. Any friend of my little kibo flower is a friend to us. No need to get violent,” Lando’s voice cut through the tension, pulling you out of your own thoughts.

The guards finally relented, holstering their blasters and muttering apologies. Mando turned you around to face him, analyzing your face for any distress. Your front was now pressed into his and you tried to ignore the way your nipples hardened against his armor.

“Are you okay?” Mando asked, his voice laced with concern.

You nodded a ‘yes’, not trusting your voice while in such close proximity. Mando continued to look at your face and noticed the way your cheeks were flushed. He assumed it was just the adrenaline, but then he saw your red, glossy eyes and felt his heart tighten in his chest.

“You’ve been crying.” It wasn’t really a question, but you knew he wanted to know more.

His helmet tilted up to look behind you. You followed his gaze to see he was staring right at Lando. Your fingers pulled one of his hands from your waist, bringing his attention back to you.

“I’ll tell you later. It’s not a bad thing, I promise,” you assured him with a smile. You tugged him towards the booth and smiled at the kid who was making grabby hands at his father. Mando softly rubbed the back of his head and slid into the booth beside you.

Mando kept your hand in his, interlacing your fingers and resting them on his thigh. His helmet stayed forward, staring directly at the man across from him. You cleared your throat and introduced him, “Um.. Mando, this is Lando Calrissian. He is the Baron Administrator of Cloud City.”

Lando rolled his eyes, “So official. Me and (y/n) go way back. She is very special to me.”

Mando could see the love in his eyes for you, making his heart drop in his stomach. He ignored Lando and looked down at you, “The information I got was good. We can stay in the Razor Crest for the night and then leave first thing in the morning.”

Lando interjected before you could reply, “That’s nonsense! The Palace has plenty of room. Please, stay.”

Mando didn’t like the idea of staying, but this was your decision and he wouldn’t argue. He continued to stare at you, secretly hoping you choose to go back to the ship. However, the pure joy on your face let him know your answer before you even said it.

“I don’t see why not. We really appreciate your generosity.”

Lando shook it off, “It’s no problem. Anything for my girl.”

Mando tensed at his words and unintentionally squeezed your hand. It was hard to ignore the sudden stiffness of the man beside you, so you soothed your thumb over his glove. His body relaxed with your touch and he nodded in affirmation.

Once Lando led you to where you would be staying, Mando entered first and let the kid out of his pod to stretch his legs. You lingered by the door and watched as the kid discovered the new environment.

“I’m happy you have someone who cares so much for you,” Lando said lowly so only you could hear.

You furrowed your brows in confusion, “We practically just met. I’m just a hired hand”

The kid managed to trip over his own feet and cried out for his dad. You smiled as Mando quickly scooped him up and gently bounced him in his arms. It was as if he could feel your eyes on him, his helmet turning to face you. You were stuck in each other’s stare, the world dissipating around you.

Lando smirked as he whispered in your ear, “If he doesn’t care, then why are his eyes always on you?”

You were at a loss for words. Your cheeks burned red as you suddenly found the floor very interesting. Lando chuckled and kissed your forehead, wishing you a good night and informing you there were clean clothes in the drawers. You shut the door and took a deep breath.

“Would you like to talk about earlier?” Mando asked hesitantly.

You took a seat on the edge of the bed and curled your legs against your body, “When I came here, Lando quickly took on a father role to me. He left during the fight against the Empire and I left soon after. Neither of us actually got to say goodbye. This is the first time I’ve seen him in five years. I was crying because I missed him. I missed this place, but I’m happy with where I am now.”

Mando sat down beside you and grabbed your hand, a gesture the two of you were getting pretty comfortable with. You smiled at the kid tugging on your shoelaces and thought about how much he already meant to you.

“You should get some rest. I’ll take the floor,” Mando said as he stood up.

You gripped his hand tighter and stood up as well, “I already took your bed on the ship. I’m not doing the same thing here. And before you say anything, I know you will refuse to let me sleep on the floor. There’s plenty of room on the bed for both of us.”

He was going to argue, but you had already disappeared to get a shower. Mando released a sigh and reluctantly stripped his armor off. He didn’t want to risk accidentally hurting you in the middle of the night. He crawled under the covers and layed down with the sheet resting on his hips. He turned his head to face away from the bathroom door, not wanting to startle you when you walked out.

The kid managed to crawl up the bed, curling under Mando’s arm in the space beside where you would sleep. After a few minutes, Mando was almost asleep when your soft footsteps stirred him awake. He kept still as you slid into the sheets beside him in fresh clothes. The kid shuffled around and curled up to you instead, sleeping soundly against your chest.

You looked at the surprisingly unarmored man beside you and admired the slow rise and fall of his chest. The tan skin of his neck seemed to taunt you as you laid there. You wanted nothing more in that moment than to reach out and feel his skin against yours. You pulled the blanket around the kid and closed your eyes, your dreams dominated by a faceless man.


	3. Chapter 3

Mando groans as he wakes, an ache below his waist pressing against the softest surface he’d ever felt in his life. His mind was still fuzzy as he gained consciousness. The ache grew more prominent as he tightened his arms around a figure of pure warmth. He stilled as he finally realized where he was and who he was with. 

He didn’t want to wake you, but he had to get out of bed before you woke up. Loosening his arms, he tried to slowly remove his arms. You, however, seemed to resist the movement in your sleep. Your body arched back into Mando, trying to bring him closer. The groan that escaped his lips vibrated against your ear, rousing you from your sleep.

You felt the weight of Mando behind you and the unavoidable hard-on against your backside. Not sure if he was awake or not, you tested the waters and arched further into him. He tried to hold back a moan, but his helmet projected the choked noise for you to hear. You trailed your fingers over his knuckles, letting him know you were indeed awake.

He froze behind you, his breathing still. It was just his luck that you would wake up. He’s been able to get out the stickiest of situations, but there was no way he could get out of this one unscathed.

“Well good morning to you too,” you sarcastically said, attempting to ease his surely panicked mind.

His body relaxed slightly, but still remained decently stiff. A modulated laugh graced your ears as his helmet tilted down to rest against the back of your head.

“Sorry about.. that. I- I should probably get up,” Mando whispered, but made no move to actually get up.

You turned at your waist to face him and laced your fingers through his knuckles. It was only then that you actually realized his hands were gloveless. The roughness of his skin against yours brought chills down your spine. His hand travelled with yours under your shirt, rough fingertips settling directly under your breasts.

Batu

The two of you jump apart as the kid makes his presence known, crawling up Mando’s back to look at you. Mando takes a deep breath and sits up, picking up the child and putting him in his pod. He kept his back turned to you as he picked up the pieces of his armor and reattached them. You quietly grabbed your clothes and escaped to the bathroom.

Your body trembled as you dressed, the feel of his fingertips lingering on your skin. It was completely normal for a male to wake up with an erection. It had nothing to do with you, simply a usual occurrence for him. You just happened to be in the bed beside him.

After fixing your hair, you exited the bathroom and threw your night clothes on the bed. Mando was waiting by the door and actively avoided looking at you. The kid decided he didn’t want to stay in his pod and made grabby hands, making you pick him up and settle him on your hip.

“Lando should be waiting for us by the Razor Crest. He won’t let us leave without saying goodbye,” you informed Mando.

He simply nodded and led the way to the landing pad. Sure enough, Lando was standing at the edge of the landing pad looking out at the rising sun. As you approached, he turned around with a sad smile, “I hate to see you leave, but I’m glad I can give you a proper goodbye.”

Mando walked ahead to give the two of you some time alone and prepared the ship for takeoff. The kid curiously looked between the two of you, sensing the shift in emotions.

“Hopefully I’ll be back soon. I don’t think I could go another five years without seeing you again,” you assured Lando.

He looked down at the kid and rubbed the back of his head, “I hope to see this little one as well. Luke told me of an old Jedi that he described to look just like this one. I wonder if this one can use the force as well…” Your brows furrowed as he trailed off in thought. You had seen the force in action, but never from the kid.

Mando reappeared from the ship and stood by your side. The two men shared a look that left you even more confused and shook hands.

“I can tell she’s in good hands, but promise me you’ll take good care of my kibo flower,” Lando requests.

Mando gives a firm nod and looks at you, “I give you my word that she will never be put in harm's way.”

Lando laughed sadly as he looked at you, “I wish that were true. Especially before I found you.”

You wrapped your free arm around tightly around his waist, careful to not squish the kid. Lando kissed your forehead as he hugged you back, mumbling a final ‘I’ll miss you.’ Before you could escape his grip, he lowered his voice so only you could hear, “I know I told you in the past to not trust anyone, but I think this is the one time you shouldn’t listen to me.”

You pulled away with a smirk, ignoring the insinuation Lando was making, “I never listen to you.”

You walked away as the kid waved his little fingers at Lando in his own form of a goodbye, eliciting a quiet laugh to escape the confines of Mando’s helmet.

The three of you boarded the Crest and you let the kid down to run around the hull of the ship to tire him out for his nap later. Mando watched as the kid laughs every time he trips over his own feet before looking up at you.

“The quarry is on Hoth. It will take a few hours to get there.”

You nodded in response and kept your eyes on the kid, “That’s smart on their part. I guess the bounty is using the old Rebel base to hide out. I mean, who would willingly want to live in a destroyed base made of ice?”

The kid fell over again, but this time you could see the tears forming in his big eyes. You quickly scooped him up to try and calm him down before he had a fit. Mando, however, was at a loss for words. If he was being honest, he hadn’t even thought of that. He was planning to be there for days in search of the quarry.

Mando climbed the ladder and set course for Hoth while you made some soup and bread rations. After putting the soup and bread on a tray, you announced you were coming up and climbed the ladder. The door to the cockpit was already open, so you let yourself in and set the food on the co-pilot’s chair.

“I noticed you haven’t eaten once since I’ve been here, so I made some soup,” you explained.

Mando looked at the food, giving a nod, “Thank you. That is very… kind of you.”

You shook off his thanks, considering it was basically your job, “It’s no problem. Me and the kid will be down in the hull while you eat.” You turned around to go down the ladder when Mando’s voice stopped you.

“Grogu.”

Confusion washed over you, not sure what he meant, “What?”

Mando turned his head to the side, looking at you through his peripheral, “His name is Grogu. He uh- he makes this noise when you call him by his name. It’s… cute.”

You nodded your head in understanding and climbed down the ladder. You looked at the kid with your hands on your hips. “Grogu?” You asked, interested to see his response.

He lifted his head with a tilt and made the most adorable noise you had ever heard. Mando was right, it was cute. You giggled as you prepared him his own cup of soup and tore the bread into small pieces. 

As you watched Grogu eat, you thought back to earlier, remembering the way Mando felt against you. His body was so warm behind your own. You had felt him press against you, but surely it was just a means to relieve the tension. There was no way he actually wanted to be with you.

However, Mando was just as conflicted as you. He wants you. He hates the way his skin burns from your touch. He hates how he feels the need to hold you at all times, as if the moment he lets go you’ll disappear. Grogu is the only one who has touched him since he was a kid. He didn’t realize just how badly he craved that feeling until you. 

He shook the thoughts from his head, knowing you would never feel the same way. After quickly finishing his food, he climbed down the ladder, making a frown set on your face.

“Did you even taste it?”

Mando sat the used dishes on one of the crates and sat down on the floor against the wall, “Eating is a necessity, not a pleasure.”

You tilted your head with a sad smile, “Food is supposed to be enjoyed, Mando. Next time, I want you to take your time. Please?”

Mando looked up at you through his visor and nodded. Truthfully, he didn’t think he could ever say no to you. The worry you held in your eyes as you looked at him made his heart twist in his chest. He never wanted you to have to worry about him.

When Grogu was done eating, you settled him into his hammock and rocked him until he fell asleep. You then sat on the floor beside Mando and stretched your legs out. His thigh was mere centimeters from your own and you could feel the body heat from both of you colliding in the air.

“I need to tell you something. It’s about the kid,” Mando said quietly, not wanting to wake up Grogu.

You laid your head on the wall behind you, turned in the direction of Mando, “He’s a baby. What is there to tell?”

“He’s not a normal kid. He has these.. powers,” you looked at him confused as he spoke, “I learned from a Jedi sorcerer that it’s called the force. I’ve seen him move things with his mind and he is able to communicate with other force users. He needs to train with another Jedi, but I’m not sure I can let him go. He… he means too much to me.”

His voice was shaky by the end and you could sense the fear he held in knowing he would eventually have to give him up. He might not have planned to be a father, but the universe gifted him with a son anyways. Your heart ached for him and you knew he was trying his best in the complicated life he led.

You grabbed his hand and interlaced your fingers, giving him a reassuring squeeze, “I don’t think any father is ready to be apart from their child. This is your life now. _He_ is your life. I don’t blame you for wanting to be as selfish as long as you can.”

His thumb stroked along your hand as he looked directly into your eyes, “Sometimes being selfish can ruin everything.”

You suddenly got the feeling that Mando wasn’t talking about Grogu anymore. Even though you couldn’t see his face, you could sense that he was referencing the events of the morning. The inner voice in your head told you that he didn’t want you, but the way he spoke in that moment made you question everything.

“What if being selfish is what both people want?”

Mando felt his cock twitch in his pants at the insinuation in your tone. He hoped he wasn’t reading you wrong. He hoped he wasn’t about to make the wrong move.

“What do you think? Should I be selfish?”

Mando’s voice was shaky, making a wave of arousal course through your veins and pool between your legs. Your own voice matched his, quiet and shaky as your pupils dilated.

“Yes…”

Mando let out a growl as he grabbed the outside of your thigh and hauled you into his lap. Your legs straddled his as your hands rested against his pauldrons to steady yourself. His hands gripped your hips and held you tight against his body. His breathing was heavy under the helmet as he watched you breathe.

“Take my helmet off.”

You froze on top of him, not entirely sure if you heard him right. He pulled your hands from his shoulders and guided them up his neck, stopping when your hands bumped into the beskar.

“My covert revealed themselves. I met other Mandalorians that showed their faces. I don’t- I still need to keep it on around other people, but not with you. I want you to see me… in case you decide I’m not what you want.”

You pressed a kiss to his beskar helmet and rested your forehead against his helmet, “Are you sure?”

“Please… I need you to see me.”


	4. Chapter 4

Your fingers shake as you slowly lift the helmet. It was hard to believe that he was actually letting you see his face. Karga had told you many times about Mando’s creed and how he was never supposed to take his helmet off. When you caught a glimpse of his chin, your hands stilled, unsure if you could continue. It felt like an invasion of privacy.

“Why did you stop?”

You looked down at the ground beside him and frowned, “You’re going against your creed… just for sex. I can’t-“

CLANG

The sound of beskar hitting the ground made your entire body freeze. The helmet you were struggling to take off was now sitting on the floor next to you, teasing you for not having the strength to do it yourself. You stare at your reflection in the visor, not being able to look back at the man below you.

“This isn’t just for sex… Look at me, mesh’la,” Mando whispered as he softly squeezed your thighs.

You reluctantly turned back to him, your eyes now staring into the most beautiful pair of brown eyes you had ever seen in the universe. His warm gaze watched you nervously, waiting for your reaction. You took your time in exploring every inch of face, not wanting to miss out on a single detail.

His jaw was strong and defined, littered with patchy hair that only made him look even more handsome. The crinkles by his eyes showed his age, but took nothing away from his beauty. You brought your hands to his neck and ran your thumbs along his jawline. You watched in awe at the way his body shuddered under your touch, his fingers squeezing harder at your thighs to contain himself.

“Did I.. disappoint you?” He asked as his eyes connected with yours.

Your hands travelled to the back of his head and threaded your fingers in his curly hair. His eyes fluttered shut at the feeling and you pressed your forehead against his.

“You have exceeded my expectations, Mando,” you answered, biting your lip to keep from smiling. 

He let out a growl of approval before tugging your bottom lip between his teeth. His hands travelled to your backside as your lips finally connected, guiding your body to roll against his. You tugged lightly at his hair, eliciting a groan from him.

The Razor Crest normally stayed cold, but Mando had never felt hotter than he did at that moment. His hands gripped at your ass, pressing you harder into his growing bulge. The movement pressed the seam of your pants perfectly against your clit, making you moan into the kiss. Mando took the opportunity to glide his tongue along your bottom lip, giving you a warning before exploring every inch of your mouth.

You reluctantly pulled back and tugged your shirt off. Mando’s eyes darkened at the sight of your bare breasts, turning almost completely black.

“You are so perfect, mesh’la,” Mando admired as he pulled his gloves off.

Rough hands ghosted over your back, trailing across your ribs and under your breasts. Your nipples hardened under his touch and yearned for his caress. You arched your back, trying to push yourself into his hand. However, Mando had other ideas. Grogu would be awake soon. He never slept longer than thirty minutes. The two of you needed to be quick and quiet.

“Wrap your arms around me. We don’t have a lot of time before the kid starts screaming.”

You obeyed without hesitation, wrapping your arms around his neck and shivering as the ends of his hair tickled at your forearms. He grabbed your ass and bent at his knees, pushing off his feet to rise against the wall. Once on his feet, he set you down on one of the crates and began to discard the pieces of his armor. You followed suit, unlatching your thigh holster and utility belt before shoving your boots off, followed by your pants.

Mando was now stripped down to his flight suit and facing away from you, far less intimidating and more… shy. He seemed unsure of what to do with himself, so bare in front of another person for the first time in his life. Grogu had seen his face, but for someone to see him so intimately was terrifying. The time passed by slowly as he reached back to tug at the collar of his shirt and pull it off. The frantic beating of his heart seemed to fill his ears, drowning himself in his own nervousness.

The tenseness in his body was evident. You could see his hesitation. You approached him with caution, raising a hand to run through the hair along the nape of his neck and place a soft kiss on the skin of his back.

“What’s going on inside that pretty head of yours?” You whispered as you rested your forehead between his shoulder blades.

Mando took a deep breath, “This is just… new to me. I’ve never been this exposed during sex.”

You huffed out a laugh, the warm air fanning over his back. You grabbed his biceps and encouraged him to turn around. The moment he saw your body, completely naked in front of him, was a moment you don’t think you would ever forget. The look in his eyes was one of pure adoration. His eyes travelled along the expanse of your body, taking in every inch of what he would consider his new favorite sight.

“You have nothing to be scared of. This is your ship... your home. You decide what happens. You don’t have to bare yourself completely to me. It’s always your choice.”

Your words seem to light a fire in him, hands reaching for your thighs and hoisting you into his arms. He set you back on the crate and pulled behind your knees so your ass was right on the edge. His lips found yours as he rocked his covered erection against your already dripping core. The drag of his flight suit against your clit made a flush of red wash over your body. You gripped his hair in your hands, tugging lightly at the roots.

Mando groaned as he reached to push down his pants. His cock sprung free against your thigh and you couldn’t help but break from the kiss to look between your bodies. The tip of his cock had taken on a hint of red, leaking precum along your thigh. The sheer size of him was intimidating. He was long and thick, the vein along the underside of his cock bulging out in desire.

A hiss sounded from his lips as you wrapped your fingers around his shaft. You squeezed the base of his cock before collecting his precum in your palm and smearing it along his length.

“So- _fuck_ … so good to me, baby,” Mando breathed against your face, his forehead pressed against your own.

He swiped a finger through your folds, his breath hitching at how soaked you were. Your hand stilled around him as he slid his finger into your wet heat. The slow, in and out drag brought out a whine from your throat. You were never one to beg, but you were desperate for more.

“Mando… the kid is going to wake up soon,” you whined.

He stayed silent, sneaking another finger in and pumping faster. Your hand tightened around the base of his cock as you clenched around him, his fingers curling up into that delicious spot that drove you crazy.

“ _Please_ … I need you. I’m not letting that kid cockblock again.”

Mando raised his brow and smiled, “Whatever you want… my sweet, sweet girl”

He pushed your hand away and rubbed his own hand, covered in your arousal, along his length. He grabbed the back of your knee and wrapped it around his hip, slowly thrusting in. Once he was buried in you, his other hand grabbed your hip and squeezed at the soft flesh.

“ _Maker_ , you’re perfect… so fucking tight, baby,” Mando moaned, burying his face in your neck, nipping at the skin below your jaw.

It had been a while since you had sex, months before you had boarded the Razor Crest. The stretch of him burned, but in the best way possible. He gave you time to adjust before pulling out almost completely and slamming back in. The angle of his hips had him driving into your g-spot every time. You wouldn’t last long, but that seemed to be his goal.

“ _Ugh... Mando…_ ” you moaned in his ear, making shivers run down his spine.

“Din.”

You tugged his head back and looked at him in confusion, “What?”

He stilled, halfway inside you, his shaky breaths fanning over your face. His eyes were blown wide, darkened with desire. The corners of his mouth twitched as if he wasn’t sure he was going to repeat himself.

“My name… is Din.”

You placed your hands on the sides of his face and rubbed your thumb along his cheek. “Din…” you tested out on your lips, “Short, but powerful. Kind of like the kid.”

Din shook his head and moved the hand on your hip to caress the back of your neck, “I really don’t want to hear about the kid when my cock is inside you.”

You softly laughed, but let out a choked moan when he pushed back inside you. With one hand under the leg that was around his hip and the other cradling your neck, Din set a brutal pace. The sound of his hips slapping against your thighs filled the hull, but you couldn’t care less.

You dug your nails into his neck, the pain making him thrust faster. He could feel you pulsing around him. You were close, but you needed more. For someone he only just met, Din was already attached. You consumed his thoughts and dreams. He hasn’t gone one minute without thinking of you. He wanted nothing more than to make you cum and have that image live on in his brain forever.

“Touch yourself,” Din commanded.

You obeyed, bringing your hand down to your throbbing clit and rubbing furious circles. The coil in your stomach tightened as you got closer and closer to your release. His eyes were locked between your bodies, watching his cock disappear between your folds as your fingers quickly became coated in your own arousal.

“C’mon baby… cum for me… cum, mesh’la”

Din’s words shot straight to your core, your legs shaking as you clenched impossibly tight around him. His eyes shot to your face, watching your face contort into an expression of pure bliss. Your mouth was gaped open as small moans passed by your lips, your chest heaving with every breath you inhaled.

“ _Din…_ ”

The sound of his name on your lips as you came brought Din over the edge. A feeling of euphoria washed over him as his hips stuttered, filling you with his release. As you rode out your highs together, his cum leaked out of you, dripping onto the crate below. Both of your bodies were covered in a thin layer of sweat, your cheeks flushed red.

Din pushed the hair out of your face and looked deep into your eyes. It was as if you were the only person in the world that mattered to him. Almost like he could sense it, Grogu chose that exact moment to start wailing like he’d been injured.

Din took a deep breath before giving you an apologetic smile and pulling out. You hissed from the sensitivity and whined from the sudden emptiness. He pulled his pants on and walked into the fresher. When returned, he held a wet cloth in his hand and stood between your thighs to wipe you clean.

“Grogu has impeccable timing,”

Din gave you an unamused look before throwing the rag in the fresher and grabbing his shirt. You assumed he was going to wear it himself, but you were shocked when he handed the clothing to you.

“I don’t think the kid needs to see either of us naked.”

You gave a nod and pulled the shirt on, making sure you were covered before walking over to the bed. Tear filled eyes greeted you as the door opened and you quickly scooped him in your arms.

“I know, I know. Waking up all alone must have been very scary.”

Din watched as you calmed the kid in your arms. They say that kids are the best judges of character. Grogu had been intrigued by you from the moment you scared the Cerean. Din couldn’t lie, he had been intrigued as well. The way you held your own was astonishing. He had never met anyone quite like you.

He walked up behind you and placed his hands on your hips, peaking over your shoulder at the now happy kid. Grogu looked up at his exposed face and his smile grew even more. He reached his small hands out for Din and made grabby motions.

“Go to your daddy, Grogu,” you said as you lifted him up for Din to take, noticing the way his jaw clenched at your choice of words.

He made eye contact as he grabbed the kid and said with a low voice, “Come to daddy.”

A blush crept up your face at his words, a new fire igniting inside you. Din smirked and pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead. He climbed in the bed and sat against the back wall, his leg spread apart. With a soft pat, he invited you to sit with them and you settled between his legs with your back to his chest. Din wrapped his arms around you and kissed the spot behind your ear.

“I’ll make sure next time is less… rushed. I want to give you so much more. _You_ deserve more.”

Your body tensed and you were certain he could feel it. Dread crept up your spine at the realization that the closer you go to Din, the closer he was to seeing the real you. 

“I deserve nothing.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: BRIEF MENTION OF RAPE AND ABUSE

If you could live anywhere in the entire galaxy… Hoth would be your last choice. You had never had a problem with the cold, but this was not a normal cold. It felt like all the blood in your body had iced over. You could barely move your body, your joints stiff from the cold.

The heater was on full blast, but it was nothing compared to the harsh, ice climate. Din was currently on the hunt for the quarry, having left a few hours ago. He told you to keep your comlink close in case he wasn’t able to make it back tonight. The comlink was beside you on the bed while you were wrapped in a blanket with Grogu close to your chest.

There was something off about this place. You couldn’t quite place it, but it had you insanely stressed out. It didn’t help that Grogu could sense your distress. Those big, sleepy eyes simply stared at you as he fought off sleep. There was nothing else to do but wait.

Inside the empty rebel base, Din was having no luck. He had searched for hours, but found no sign that anyone had been there. It didn’t help that he hadn’t even searched through the entire base yet. The sun was beginning to set and the base was quickly flooding with darkness. It would be a waste of time to go all the way back to the ship to sleep, no matter how badly he wanted to be by your side.

He found what looked to be a storage room and pressed a button on the panel to close it. Using a large crate, he barricaded the door and sat down with his back against it. If anyone were to try and move the crate, he would know. He wrapped his cowl around his body to create a barrier between him and the chill. The many layers he wore kept him warm enough, but sitting in a room built of ice was not exactly ideal.

He pulled the comlink from his belt and held down the button, “(y/n)... can you hear me?”

There was a moment of silence and Din’s heart began to pound against his chest. A crackling noise filled the room before your soft voice brought him ease.

“Is everything okay?”

Din smiled under his helmet at your immediate response being to make sure he was fine, “I’m fine. I haven’t located the quarry yet. The base is… larger than anticipated.”

You thought for a moment as you looked around the hull, brows furrowed in contemplation. The bad feeling you were having might not be a complete hoax. “What if he’s not there? What if I was wrong?”

Din gripped the comlink tighter in his hand as he leaned his head back against the crate in exhaustion, “I don’t think you were wrong. If he’s not here now, he was at one point.”

A smile crept onto your face, “How do you know that?”

“I don’t.”

You scrunched your brows at his short yet blunt answer. The seconds of silence felt like hours as you struggled to find a response. Din’s voice cut through, softer than his usual tone.

“Are you… are you and the kid okay?”

Grogu was snuggled into your arms, trying desperately to find warmth in your body heat. “We’re fine, just a little cold. Grogu hasn’t let go of me since you left.”

At the sound of his name, Grogu peaked his head up and made that adorable little noise he makes. Din laughed at the innocent sound that he had come to love. He hated being away from the kid, but there was no other choice.

“Good. I’ll keep searching in the morning. Hopefully we can get off this planet soon.”

You rested your chin on the kid’s head and smiled as his little nose tickled your neck, “I’d give anything to-“

The sound of crunching snow outside the Crest made you pause. Din sat up straighter at the abrupt cut off and slowly rose to his feet. When there wasn’t a sound after a few seconds, he began to panic.

He clicked the button on his comlink with shaky hands, “What’s wrong?”

The footsteps grew closer and you held a hand over the speaker of the comlink to try and drown out Din’s voice.

“There’s someone here,” you whispered as quietly as you could.

Din pulled the crate away from the doorway and sprinted as fast as he could through the maze of ice. If he was cold before, no one would even know. His blood was boiling hot and he was going to kill whoever was outside his ship, hopefully the bounty.

He held the comlink to his mouth and attempted to speak quietly through his harsh breaths, “Shut yourself in the bed and don’t make a noise. I’m on my way.”

You stood as quietly as you could and set the kid in his hammock. There was no way in hell that you were going to just sit and wait. Din couldn’t get here that quick and you weren’t going to let whoever this was take the kid. You held a finger to your lips, letting Grogu know he needed to stay quiet. You shut the door and grabbed the blaster from your utility belt that was on the ground. Crouching behind one of the crates, you put yourself between the side hatch and the kid.

The person outside the ship came to a stop outside of the hatch and the thunderous sound of something attaching to the ship made you flinch. Whatever they had attached to the ship was furiously beeping, matching the rapid pace of your own heartbeat. When the beeping stopped, you let out a sigh of relief, but the universe wasn’t that kind to you. 

The hatch hissed open and slowly began to lower. You clutched the blaster tightly and aimed over the crate, pointing directly at the now open space. A person you never thought you would see again was now walking into Din’s ship. It sucked to admit, but you froze. It was like your worst nightmare was coming true.

“Littram?”

The man turned towards the sound of your voice, squinting to see in the dark, “Who are you?”

You stepped out from behind the crate, your arm stretched out with the blaster pointed straight at his head. His eyes went wide with realization and he took a step forward.

“(Y/n)... what are-“

“Don’t come any closer.”

Your bottom lip trembled in a mix of anger and fear. Fear not for yourself, but for what was currently hiding behind you. Littram raised his hands in surrender and stopped his movements.

“I don’t want to hurry you, (y/n). You know that.”

“Do I?” You spat out as you glared at him down the barrel of your blaster.

He tilted his head in bewilderment, “I never hurt you before. I’m not going to start now.”

You shook your head and scoffed, “You sure as hell never stopped it.”

He took a step forward, knowing you wouldn’t pull the trigger quite yet. “I didn’t have a choice. None of us did. Put down the blaster and we can talk. I know you have plenty of questions.”

You slowly lowered the blaster to your hip. As much as it infuriated you, he was right. He wouldn’t ever hurt you and you knew that. It seemed like he was the only one who never laid a hand on you. He lowered his hands and smiled, looking around the hull, “So are you here to take me in?”

“She’s not, but I am.”

Din emerged from the open ramp and pinned Littram to the wall. His forearm was pushing into Littram’s throat, cutting off his air supply as he pulled out the cuffs from his belt.

“Mando!”

Din faced you, frozen in shock at the sheer volume of your voice.

Lowering your voice, you spoke directly to him, “Let him go. He won’t run and he won’t fight back. I have some… things I need to talk to him about.”

Din pushed harder, surely bruising Littram’s trachea. The indecision was clear as he looked between you and his bounty, wondering how you two even knew each other.

“Let. Him. Go.”

The sharp tone in your voice made Din relent his assault, stepping back and letting Littram’s body fall to the floor as air finally breached into his lungs. Din messed with the buttons on his vambrace and shut the hatch. When the ramp was fully closed, he grabbed your bicep and pulled your body flush against his chest.

“The kid stays hidden. You have five minutes, then I’m coming down here and freezing him.”

You didn’t realize how hard he was holding your arm until he stepped away. He climbed up the ladder to the cockpit without another word as you rubbed the pain out of your arm. Littram sat against the wall, cradling his injured throat. 

He looked at where Din disappeared before looking at you with a smirk, “How did you end up with a mandalorian?”

You gave him a look that said ‘don’t even start’ and set your blaster on the crate. Tension filled the air as you leaned against the crate and crossed your arms over your chest.

“Why is there a bounty on your head?”

He gave you a cocky smile that had always made you despise him, “The same reason there’s one on your head. Tell me, does your precious Mando know just how much you’re worth.”

Sure, Littram had never hurt you, but that doesn’t mean he wasn’t an absolute dick. The blood in your veins ran cold at the thought of Din finding out. He was a ruthless bounty hunter. There was no way he would give up the amount on your head.

You clenched your jaw and took a deep, calming breath, “So how did you escape?”

Littram looked down at his hands, picking under his fingernails as he spoke. “The big man finally trusted me enough to lead a shipment. Once it was delivered and we were back on the ship, I killed my crew. I took the payment, bought an old ship, and left. I went to Coruscant, because that’s the place to go if you don’t want to be seen, and started a new life. Didn’t last long though.” 

He shook his head and laughed. It was one of those laughs that showed every bit of pain he was feeling. “I got word that people were looking for me, so I left. I went to a few planets before someone told me about Hoth. They said there was an old Rebel base that had been abandoned for years. Now I’m here.”

There was something in his eyes as he looked at you. It was like you were the most glorious being he had ever seen. Not because he had feelings for you, but because he had been on his own since he escaped. He was relishing in the feeling of familiarity.

You knew Din would be down soon. He would put Littram in carbonite and you would never hear from him again. It was a little sad to have someone you know be turned in for a reward, but you had to protect yourself. Getting rid of the person who knew everything about your past means you could sleep a little easier at night.

“Mando will be down any second. You are his bounty and I’m not coming between that.”

Littram gave you a pleading look, “I could help you. I could keep you safe.”

You crouched down and put yourself at eye level with him, “Don’t try to make up for standing on the sidelines while I was being tortured.”

You were so blinded by rage that you didn’t even hear Din climbing down the ladder. A hand on your shoulder roused you from your trance.

“Time is up.”

Din pulled Littram up from the floor and pushed him towards the carbonite chamber. The pleading look was completely erased from his face as he gave Din a snarl, “I’m not worth nearly as much as your girl over there. Let me go and we can split the reward.” Din smashed his head against the wall, knocking him unconscious before shoving him into the carbonite chamber and freezing him.

The silence was defening as you watched Din’s shoulders rise and fall with every harsh breath he took. He stalked towards you like a predator and threw his helmet off, a loud _CLANG_ echoing off the walls.

“What the hell were you thinking?! I told you to stay in the bed with the kid! You had one fucking job and you couldn’t even do that!”

You stood tall, unfazed by the anger in his voice. Staring straight into his eyes, you spoke strongly, “I was thinking that I wasn’t going to let someone take the kid. If I were to stay hidden in that compartment, there would be no chance I could protect him if we were found.”

Din rubbed at his face in frustration, tugging at the ends of his hair, “You could’ve been shot! You can’t protect someone when you’re dead!”

You rolled your eyes and clenched your fists at your sides, your nails digging into the skin of your palms. “Did I get shot? No! I’m still fucking breathing! Littram wasn’t going to hurt me!”

Din scoffed and started pacing, hands on his hips and squeezing in order to keep his calm. “Littram…” he spewed his name like venom on his lips. His pacing stopped as his brows furrowed together, “What did he mean when he said he wasn’t worth nearly as much as you?”

Fear crept up your spine and you avoided looking him directly in the eyes, “It means exactly what he said. There’s a bounty on my head. Karga refuses to hand out my puck anymore. That’s why you didn’t know.”

He looked at you with so much hurt and... _distrust_. That’s what broke you. You could deal with him being mad, but losing trust in you was something you didn’t think you could handle.

“Bounties with that high of value are among the worst scum in the galaxy. What the hell did you do?”

Anger suddenly filled your veins like a raging fire. Your eyes snapped to meet his immediately, narrowing as you stepped closer so there was only an inch of space between you. “I got out. I have a bounty on my head because I escaped. I was beaten, starved, raped, and used. I was trained to fight because I was forced to fight others. I know how to fly because I was forced to run shipments of spice. Anything they wanted from me, they got. I didn’t have a choice. Now, I have people looking for me all over the galaxy because the big man’s favorite plaything escaped.”

You stepped away from Din’s regret-filled face and took a deep breath, “I’m going to check on the kid. Make sure we get off this maker-forsaken plant.”

You turned around without waiting for a reply and opened the sleeping compartment. Grogu smiled widely at the sight of you and made his usual grabby hands to be picked up. Since he hadn’t napped at all, you opted for rocking the hammock back and forth until his eyes began to droop shut.

Din watched for a moment before climbing into the cockpit silently. He changed the course he set earlier for your next destination and lifted off into the void of space. Once he was high enough in the atmosphere, he set the Crest to autopilot and leaned his head back against the seat. An ache filled his heart as he replayed what you said over and over in his mind.

He fucked up.


End file.
